Rubicon Gold Mine, Day Dawn Goldfield, Cue, Cue Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Rubicon Gold Mine	Mine
Day Dawn Goldfield	Ore Field
Cue	- not defined -
Cue Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The mine is located about 500 metres north of the Great Fingall Mine. North of here to the outskirts of Cue are a large number of scattered shafts from several historic mines, mainly small affairs and prospecting parties. The Rubicon is marked by a small open pit and tailings heap from modern mining.

Historically it was active from 1893 to 1912. The Rubicon deposit was discovered around 1892 by Smith and Jobson (surnames).

In March 1894, the Western Australian Day Dawn Gold Mining Association was formed with capital of 22 000 pounds to take over the Day Dawn (Trenton), Day Dawn West, Day Dawn North, Mistletoe, Strathmore, Rubicon, Rubicon West, Leviathan (Star of the West), Leviathan West, La Tosca (Foster's) mines at Day Dawn; the George Higginbotham mine at Cue; and Carnage, Carnage South, Carnage North and Blind Shot (90 Mile) mines at Coolgardie. These had been owned by prospectors W.A. Horn, T.S. Horn, P.A. Horn, C.A. Horn, W.R. Wilson, and E. Heffernan. A 20 head battery was installed at Day Dawn and much other work. However the enterprise at several of these mines including Rubicon only lasted 18 months.

The Murchison Consolidated Gold Mines was floated in London in August 1895 with 35 000 pounds
capital to purchase the prior company's Day Dawn leases, including Rubicon. Some mining subsequently took place, but the company abandoned the lease in 1897. Shortly after a local syndicate headed by Bartram L. Cook was working the mine, possibly under tribute.

But that was not the end of the matter. The company is noted in 1904 as being back at the mine, with new machinery and 60 foot high poppet legs installed. In fact, one source states the shareholders of the company were the most consistent and persistent ever assembled, surviving thirteen company reconstructions.

Mining continued on a limited scale. In 1903 a visitor reported 600 tonnes of ore at grass, but notes a lack of capital is limiting development. The mine appears to have closed down and been re-started again several times, probably in line with the turmoil surrounding its owning company. The last was 1912, with experienced John Cairns appointed mine manager. Ore was being crushed from an old dump at the mine, but ceased for good at the end of the year. One source states the company mined in total a small 6 400 tonnes for 3000 oz across 1895 to 1912.

In March 1903, William Wyatt was attempting to start the flywheel, when the machine lurched into activity, sending him flying into the operating machinery, where he was mangled and died instantly. He had been working at the mine for three days. One of many who were killed in the early days of mining in Western Australia. During this time on average 40 to 50 men would lose their lives each year in the State's mining industry.

It appears after 1912, the mine was left in a time warp. The mine manager's residence, which was a prominent local landmark on top of an ironstone ridge, was dismantled in 1923. The remaining plant was left, slowing rusting away. Two men were sentenced to six months imprisonment for stealing machinery from the old Rubicon Mine in 1932. The source notes the mine had been abandoned since around 1912. The men blew up with dynamite two battery boxes, a battery engine, pumping engine, and other machinery, which was sent to Perth, and sold as scrap.

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